Recording: Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield

Artist: Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield

Songs: [two excerpts from a suite]^*

Recorded at Standard Time (TONE presents), May 17, 2024.

Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield - [excerpt 1]

Nate Wooley's Columbia Icefield - [excerpt 2]

My understanding is that this tour from trumpeter Nate Wooley’s quartet was partially to roadtest a new suite of compositions before recording. A tribute to Wooley's mentors and collaborators Ron Miles and Fred Hess, the pieces (incorporating some of Miles' phrases) were introduced as a way of "mourning loudly and softly". With Susan Alcorn (pedal steel guitar), Ava Mendoza (guitar), and Ryan Sawyer (drums) on board, there was room for a wide sonic range, with solo spots for everyone segueing into quiet reflections, jaunty tunes, and driving rockers.

^* Not sure if the individual segments have separate titles, but this will be updated in the future when at least the full piece's name is known.

Recording: Icepick

Artist: Icepick - [excerpt]

Song: [excerpt]

Recorded at Burdock Music Hall (TONE Festival – Show #2/Music Gallery Departures Series), June 15, 2017.

Icepick - [excerpt]

Although the local "jazz" festival is anticipated in some quarters, it seemed that too often there was no home there for adventurous and experimental creators. Thus, out of necessity, the TONE Festival was born to give these touring musicians a chance to connect with local audiences and artists. A collaboration between Burn Down the Capital's Tad Michalak, Ron Gaskin (a.k.a. Rough Idea) and Karen Ng and Daniel Pencer, the goal was to create shows that were rewarding for players and listeners alike. Multitasking Tad Michalak managed to use his position as curator for the Music Gallery's offsite Departures series to bring some big names under the TONE banner, meaning the night's middle act could easily have been the headliner in their own right. A new trio bringing together Nate Wooley (trumpet), Chris Corsano (percussion), and Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (double bass), this was action-jazz from the get-go with plenty kineticism on stage. Equally willing to pull together and to pull apart, there was room here for each of the players to bring their own ideas, personalities and sheets of metal.

Recording: Nate Wooley

Artist: Nate Wooley

Song: [excerpt from second improvisation]

Recorded at The Drake Underground, April 19, 2014.

Nate Wooley - [excerpt from second improvisation]

Full review to follow. New York trumpeter Nate Wooley served as the opener for tourmate Ken Vandermark and his Made to Break project. Playing solo, Wooley sat on the lip of the stage, with his horn wired up to a guitar pedal. Employing drones and various extended techniques, his pedal-controlled electroacoustic tap-bursts brought to mind the similar methods employed by Colin Stetson, but Wooley's approach here is less inherently tuneful, more interested in creating a sonic terrain.